A drug dealer that injured three police officers as he tried to evade arrest has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Officers from the North Operation Raptor team were on a patrol in Clacton on March 8, 2018 when they became suspicious of a black Peugeot that was being driven poorly and at speed in Cambridge Road, Old Road, St John's Road and North Road.

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Sergeant Andy Stott, of the North Operation Raptor team, said: “Oakley had absolutely no regard for the lives of my team when he reversed his car at speed to avoid capture.

“It was only luck that none of us were seriously injured, but those injuries we did receive were bad enough.

“Operation Raptor teams, both in the North and the rest of the county, will continue to leave no stone unturned in our relentless pursuit of those who think they can come to our county and sell drugs on our streets.

“We know that we will face danger, threats and sometimes physical harm. But we remain committed to preventing the harm that these ruthless criminals cause in our communities and like Oakley we will continue to hunt them down, arrest them and lock them up.”

Essex Police have set up Operation Raptor teams in the North, South and West of the county with the aim to tackle those involved in drug and gang-related crime.

If you have information about drug or gang-related crime in your community, contact Essex Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.